HARD CASES: Police Use of Force in America

“An ultimate insider’s look at policing in America, Hard Cases digs into the myriad issues and split-second choices, good and bad, that are made during every arrest everywhere. Every cop and citizen should read it.” --Michael Connelly, Author and Producer Harry Bosch and The Lincoln Lawyer“HARD CASES analyzes use of force by law enforcement officers in an objectively critical way. Both the public and police will benefit from this book.” --Hon. Steve Cooley Los Angeles County District Attorney (2000-2012)This book is for readers inside and outside law enforcement who are interested in a close examination of police uses of force. My purposes in writing it are (1) to provide factual information that contrasts with media-driven myths and misinformation for three famous cases; (2) to examine several controversial but common police tools and tactics with an eye toward improving outcomes; and (3) to enhance public understanding of the role of police officers when they confront resisting suspects.For more than three decades during and after my career with the Los Angeles Police Department, I have been involved as an expert witness or consultant in hundreds of police use-of-force cases across America. The vast majority involved police shootings, TASER uses, other uses of force, and arrest-related deaths. Among my most complex and highest profile cases were those involving Rodney King, Oscar Grant, and George Floyd. The insights I offer in this book are drawn from this experience.When is a police use of force reasonable according to commonly accepted police procedures and the law? When is it not? How do myths and misinformation about incidents influence public perception and reaction? How should we go about improving policy, training, equipment, and tactics for this unavoidable aspect of policing?Those are the questions I seek to answer in this book. --Captain Greg Meyer Los Angeles Police Department (ret.) Read more